AUBURN — Voters will decide Tuesday on a 2018-19 school budget and whether to join three area school departments to save money on services.

The $43.69 million spending plan is up 4.6 percent from this year’s $41.7 million. The increase is covered by an additional $2.1 million from the state.

To arrive at a budget with no property tax increase, the School Committee took money from the School Department’s savings account.

The budget includes money for four new buses, which will be reimbursed by the state next year. It also pays for five new classroom teachers: three to reduce class sizes at Sherwood, Park Avenue and Fairview elementary schools, one for language arts at Auburn Middle School, and one for math at Edward Little High School.

There is also money for staff raises and three teachers and one educational technician who had been paid with federal money.

Also on the ballot: A question on whether to form a regional service center with three other school districts to improve efficiency and reduce expenses. A 2017 state law requires school districts to join together to look for greater efficiencies, or they could lose state money.

In Auburn’s case, the loss would be $98,000 next year and $200,000 the following year.

Pending voter approval, Auburn would work with Lewiston, Lisbon and Poland school departments to form the Great Falls Regional Service Center.

Possible areas for savings include recruiting substitute teachers, food service planning and purchasing, principal leadership development programs, and exploring new regional programs or services.